The present invention relates to dental apparatus, and particularly to such apparatus which includes a multiple-use electrically-oscillated handpiece.
Various types of dental implements are known including a handpiece having an oscillating drive. One type includes a metal tip which is used with a water spray for dislodging calculus and stain; an example of this type is the "Dentsply/Cavitron" (Reg. TMs), Model 700-11, ultrasonic dental unit supplied by Dentsply International Inc., of York, Pa. Another type, described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,393,229, includes a head releasably attaching a wooden toothpick, and a spray nozzle for discharging a liquid spray in the region of the toothpick when used. The latter implement has been found particularly effective not only for cleaning the teeth and the spaces between the teeth, but also the spaces between the teeth and the gums (the sulcus).
The conventional dental unit as commonly found in dental offices includes an air inlet to be coupled to a source of pressurized air, a water inlet to be coupled to a source of pressurized water (usually the water tap), and outlet couplings for coupling various dental appliances to be used for treating the patient. U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,043, of which I am a joint inventor, describes dental apparatus which also includes a source of compressed oxygen and a source of a treatment liquid which can be selectively coupled to the dental unit to enable the apparatus to be used in a wide variety of dental treatments in the dental office.